Car step



rm T k CCCCCC P.

APPLICATION FILED on 22, {921.

1,415,699. Patented May 9, 1922.

UNITED STATES egrenr OFFICE} CHARLES E. PORTER, OF NEVILLE TOTWLNSHIIP,

VANIl-L ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PEN N SYL- CAR STEP.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES E. Poirrnn, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Neville Township, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Car Step, of which the following is a full, clear, and

exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in car steps, particularly to a device which can be substituted for the usual form of strap or stirrup step used 011 freight ears.

An object of the invention is to provide a device of this character, which can either serve as a step and be attached to the car, or serve as a guard and be quickly attached to theordinary form of stirrup step.

A further object is to provide a device of this character, which will effectively prevent the foot of a brakcman ortrainman from slipping through the stirrup step, and a device which will be simple and practical in construction, strong, durable and efficient in use, and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts as will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims. 5

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of the end of a freight car showing my inn'n'oved guard in applied position;

igure 2 is a view in transverse section through the guard; and

Figure 3 is an enlarged per-emotive view thereof.

Referring in detail to the drawings, 1 have used the reference numeral 1 to designate a freight car body, from which a conven tional strap or stirru step 2 depends. Accidents have frequent y occurred when trainmen have inadvertently slipped through the step instead of stepping 011 it. im-

proved step guard which carries means for self attachment to a conventional form of stirrup step obviates this danger.

The guard seen most clearly in Figure 3, comprises a platform or step proper 3, and connected at their edges of the step are triangular guard mem bers a. A covering plate or rear guard member 5 is connected at its lower edge to the Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed October 22, 1921.

lower edges to the side Patented May 9, 1922. Serial No. 509,456.

rear edge of the step 3 and at its side edges to the stops of the triangular members l. The covering plate, platform and guard members may be integral, or may be formed from a number of sheets of metal, welded or otherwise secured together. a

The forward edge of the step 3 and the forward edges of the triangular guard H161Ilbers 4; are formed with bendable extensions 6. These extensions may be bent to provide channeled members such as 7, which embrace the cross piece 8 and the depending legs 9 of the stirrup step 2. By bending or wrapping these extensions around the step the protector is securely held in place with its open end presented outwardly. It will be seen that this protector does not project beyond the side of the freight car and does not in any way interfere with the handling of the car. At the same time there is absolutely no danger of a trainman putting his foot entirely through the step, the guard members 4% and 5 serving to guide his foot into place. Openings such as 10 in the step prevent water from collecting therein,

I have illustrated and described this device as a protector which may be applied to a conventional type of step. ever, be evident that in building new freight cars any suitable attaching means may be provided for attaching the device directly to a car and doing away entirely with the old type of step. The device illustrated in. the drawings is intended for use upon old cars and maybe very quickly and easily ap plied.

Although I have illustrated one of the preferred. en'ibodiments of my invention, it will be apparent that various slight clnrnges and alterations might be made in'the general form and arrangement of the parts described without departing from the inven tion and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the precise details set forth, but shall consider myself at liberty to make such slight changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the appended. claims.

I claim:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a step of the character described, including a platform, upstanding triangular guard plates at the sides of the platform, an inclined guard plate connected to the upper edges of the triangular members and the rear It will, howedge of the platform, and means at the forward edges of the triangular guard plates and platform engageable with a support.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a step of the character described, including a platform, upstanding triangular guard plates at the sides of the platform, an inclined guard plate connected to the upper edges of the triangular members and the rear edge of the platform, and means at the forward edges of the triangular guard plates and platform engageable with a support, said means comprlsing bendable extensions integral with said plates and platform.

CHARLES E. PORTER. 

